Search - Dead in the Water on DVD

Ambitious Indie Zombie Flick

Paul Stanko | Crown Point, IN | 09/26/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was privileged to obtain a pre-release DVD of this independently produced film, and have now had the opportunity to view it several times, on a 50" plasma TV, no less! RPM Films and Wyche Elm Films are no strangers to film production, but their previous efforts have been along the lines of short subjects, instructional films, and music videos. This is their first attempt at a feature-length film, and their attention to detail is readily apparent. The on location filming took place in the lake country of Wisconsin, and the beauty of the Fall colors and serenity of the calm lake surface provide the perfect backdrop to the building sense of foreboding and impending doom. The tag line "Fear the Calm" was well-chosen. The film is exceptionally well paced and edited, the camera angles are well thought out and carefully chosen, and the sound quality is remarkably crisp for a film shot primarily outdoors and in a lakeside cabin.

The major actors are all in their late teens or early twenties, and like the actors in "Blair Witch Project", "Night of the Living Dead", and some other cult classics, are unknown (for the moment). The cast is impressive for their seamless absorption into their characters. The older sister: controlling, yet insecure; stilted, yet hiding a dark secret. The younger sister: town slut, or over-compensating for her alienation from her family? The older sister's boyfriend: a real "boy scout", but is he doing penance for some prior sin? Finally, the younger sister's boyfriend: is he a zombie expert, or just a target for everyone else's derision? The young cast made it look easy. The test of a skilled actor is not to appear to be acting, and these four passed their test with points to spare.

If you enjoyed earlier independent horror movies, such as "Blair Witch" and the original "NotLD", you should certainly enjoy this movie, as it exceeds them both in production values. Altogether an admirable effort for RPM and Wyche Elm. I look forward to more from them."

Swim at your own risk

Desiree | Missouri, USA | 03/05/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This movie for me was just ok. I am a devoted horror fan, but if I had to say what my least liked type of horror flick is, it is zombies. Granted there are a few good ones that I really do like, this one still falls just average. This depicts some beautiful scenery and good makeup effects, but no story. I didn't get the dead people steadily walking up from out of the lake. Why? This needed more of a story. The very end is strange, I wasn't quite sure how to interpret that."

WAS ALMOST GOOD ENOUGH TO BE A B-HORROR FLICK.

horrorqueen | tx | 01/27/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"i don't like to be to hard with these low budget films, and of course you can't place them side by side with these million dollar high budget flicks that are made for theaters, but i still have to tell it how i see it. i'm not going to lie i had a bit higher expectations for this movie. i mean the story's good and the zombies were pretty good as well. but the acting at times was not so good. it had it's creepy moments, and just when you get into it, and feel that suspense, it takes you to a flashback or somewhere else and it kills it. to much conversating and not enough living dead action. it didn't have to be gory or anything special just a bit believable. it got to the point where i just wanted to fast forward some bits. i'm not knocking it to the floor because it wasn't that bad, you know it had some good points. the story, and the time when the actors got it right, the setting and the makeup. it's about two chicks and their boyfriends to an isolated cabin where their parents are suppose to be, but they're not and the house is ransacked. phones are out, cars dead, and the lights out. soon night falls and zombies are attacking. lots of them, and they're not safe anywhere. will anyone survive."

Dead In The Water can't quite rise out of the depths of medi

D. Wilson | NY by way of Cali | 12/26/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Made with the budget and quality control of a late night Cinemax or Showtime skin flick (another way of saying porno kids!), Dead In The Water more than makes up for these (albeit rather major knocks)with a unique and charming attempt at the zombie genre. It's almost unfair to compare a movie like this up against anything with a semi-respectable budget but... for what the movie lacks in effects, camera work, and ultimately runtime (clocks in at a scant 72 minutes), it does do what any film is supposed to do in the end, and that's entertain (even if only mildly). The story is about four teens on a road trip (a rule of thumb in independent horror apparently... start with this premise no matter what!)to their parents secluded cabin on the lake, where the water seems to do something "funny" to those exposed to it (which go figure, 23 members from a now defunct Christian camp drowned in not long ago). Featuring a few decently creepy moments and a couple nice jump scares (unfortunately not much in the gore department though), oddly enough what really stood out and I found most enjoyable was the cast and some of the soap opera style drama and dialogue they go through. Don't get me wrong, all of the acting here isn't great, but you can tell everyone involved is giving it their all and trying to make it work (especially Mike Parrish who enjoyably overacts his part as a ministers son and knowledgable zombie film fan with lines like, "I ain't scared of dancing babe... but of monsters and axe murderers? Yeah, what's not to be scared of?!"). Even though I liked Dead In The Water, it's a 2.5 star film at best, however; for those that watch every direct-to-DVD horror film spat out on a weekly basis anyways, this should be a treat as it blows the majority of those away... more discerning fright fans (unless completely desperate for an unseen horror fix like myself)can probably do better (although the cover is one of the coolest images I've seen in awhile)."